Vio's Loss
by DragonWing85
Summary: Spoiler Alert! Read the manga first! It's been three months since they lost Shadow. All the Links seem to be fine and moving on with life. Well, all but one. Vio hasn't been himself since the incedent and keeps pulling away from the team. Can Father and the others help him cope or will they loose him too? Rated T for minor injury, subject matter, intense scenes
1. chapter 1

Vio sat solemnly reading while Red and Blue ran around the house sword fighting.

"You'll never take me alive!" said Red dodging a pillow flying through the air.

"We'll just see about that!" cried Blue waving his sword at Red.

Vio groaned and continued reading.

"Guys, foods ready!" called Green from the kitchen.

"Alright," said Blue shoving a pillow into Red's face.

When the Links entered the kitchen for a meal, each one performed a different task before sitting down to eat. Since Green had cooked, Blue grabbed plates while Red placed a fork and knife at everyone's spot. Vio ambled slowly into the room and poured Red, Blue, and Green a glass of milk. He then started to leave.

"Vio?" said Red, "Aren't you going to eat?"

Vio shook his head no and said, "I don't feel like eating right now. Maybe later."

"You're not getting sick, are you?" said Blue stabbing a potato that Green had portioned onto his plate.

"No. I'm not hungry. I'm just going to go upstairs and read."

Red watched Vio trudge up the stairs and then asked Green, "Is he okay?"

Green squinted and frowned. "I don't know, Red. Just give him some space. Okay?"

"Okay, I guess," said Red with a sigh.

"Hey, since Vio's not eating," said Blue holding out his plate, "can I have his share?"


	2. Chapter 2

Later that night, the other Links had all gone to bed, but Vio still continued to read by dim candle light.

"Vio," said Red sitting up and rubbing his eyes, "aren't you ever going to go to bed?"

"Huh? Oh, I guess it is pretty late," said Vio stretching and rubbing his own eyes, "Is the light keeping you awake?"

"A little."

"Tell you what, I'll go down to the kitchen to read."

"Shouldn't you go to sleep? You look tired. And you've been reading all day!"

Vio scowled and slammed his book shut. "Good night, Red," he said as he grabbed the candle and left the room.

"Good night," said Red softly after Vio had left.

Vio dropped his book down on the table. His stomach rumbled, as he searched through the cabinets for a bite to eat. _There's probably not any food left from dinner_. _What's this,_ thought Vio spying a red apple on the counter, _I wonder who left this for me?_ He grabbed it and started munching. Taking a deep breath, he began reading again. Slowly, his eyes began to close as his their lids got heavier and heavier. At last, he fell asleep slumped over the table with the half-eaten apple in his hand. As the candle continued to spread it'd dim light throughout the kitchen, Vio dreamed:

 _"_ _Can't catch me!" said Red._

 _"_ _You just wait," shouted Blue as he chased Red through a field of daisies. "No one's faster than me!" Blue pulled his sword out and pointed it at Red._

 _"_ _You'll never take me alive!"_

 _"_ _Stop! Red! Blue! That's not safe! Put your swords away. Someone could get hurt,"_

 _"_ _We're professionals unlike you," said Blue smirking._

 _"_ _Yeah, you let Shadow die," said Red pointing his sword at Vio._

 _"_ _What?" gasped Vio, "No! I-I didn't mean to!"_

 _"_ _Why?" said Green walking up, "You're so smart. You're the smartest one of all of us, and you didn't save him. You didn't even try! You're no brother of mine."_

 _"_ _Green?! I didn't know what to do!"_

 _Green pulled his sword out. "You don't deserve to live! Shadow should be here not you!"_

 _Vio looked down and saw his own shadow rise into the air before him. "What's going on?" said Vio backing up._

 _"_ _Don't you recognize me, Vio? It's me. Shadow. You were my best friend-my only friend. Why didn't you try and save me?"_

 _"_ _I-I didn't know what to do! You disappeared into the light. What was I supposed to do?!"_

 _By now, Blue, Red, and Green all had their swords pointed directly at Vio._

 _"_ _You don't deserve to live," said Blue._

 _"_ _Give us back Shadow," said Red._

 _"_ _We don't need you anymore," said Green._

 _Shadow transformed into fake version of Vio and stood with the other Links with his sword pointed at Vio also._

 _"_ _I'll take better care of them than you ever did," said Shadow as the field of daisies around Vio burst into flames._

 _"_ _No! Don't do this! Please!" said Vio as the fire continued to circle him. Red, Blue, and Green grabbed him as Shadow laughed ominously. The three Links drug him towards the flames._

 _"_ _Stop, I can't breathe!" he shouted as Red wrapped his hand around Vio's throat. "Please, stop! I'm sorry!"_

"Vio, Vio!" shouted Red, "Wake up! Please Vio, wake up!"

Vio opened his eyes and coughed. He felt the cool dewy ground underneath him. Red was silhouetted by a bright fire burning from the kitchen window. He saw Blue run inside the cabin with a pail of water.

Vio scooted himself away from Red trembling, "Please, stop!"

"Vio?" said Red in a whisper, "It's me, Red. You're safe now."

"Please, don't." said Vio scooting even farther out of Red's reach. "I told you already, I'm sorry."

"Vio, what's going on?" said Red nearly crying.

"I'll tell you what's going on," said Blue tossing Vio's burned book at him. "Bookworm here didn't put the candle out before he fell asleep."

Vio stared at the charcoaled edges of the book. Bit by bit, reality flooded his mind.

"You could have killed all of us!" shouted Blue at the top of his lungs.

"No," Vio said in a daze, "It was an accident. I must have fell asleep reading!"

"Whatever!" Blue snorted.

Vio double up his fists, "It's not like I started the fire on purpose!"

"That's enough!" shouted Green. "The fires out now, and everyone's safe. Let's all go back to bed. We'll deal with this tomorrow."

Blue stormed back into the house and slammed the door.

"Green!" said Red, "You're hurt!"

Green looked down at his blistered hands and sighed, "Yeah. When I saw the flames circling Vio, I thought I could pat the fire out with my hands. Silly idea huh?"

"You're hurt too!" said Red eyeing Vio's arm.

Vio looked at his slightly burned arm and winced as the pain started gnawed at his numb mind.

"I-I must have knocked the candle over," said Vio still a little dazed.

The three went back into the cabin. Red bandaged Green's hands and Vio's arm. The three crawled into bed (Blue was already under his cover snoring) and attempted to sleep. Although Red and Green had finally began to snore, Vio lay awake thinking for the rest of the night holding his burned book.


	3. Chapter 3

Vio opened his eyes. Squinting at the light coming through the window, he judged it to be past noon. He glanced around the room. Red, Green, and Blue's beds were empty. Vio pulled the covers back over his shoulders and noticed a fresh bandage on his arm. He then saw a burned book laying on the window sill beside his bed. Memories from the previous night jolted his mind like a lightning bolt. _How could I have been so careless?_ he thought as guilt flooded his chest.

"Vio?" whispered a small gentle voice.

Vio held his breath and kept his eyes shut. _Not now!_ _Please go away._

"I think he's still sleeping," said the small voice as it entered the room.

Vio lay perfectly still as someone gently turned his arm.

"It's seems okay for now. It just needs some time to heal. It looks better than yours."

Vio winced. _Green's injury is worse than mine?_

"Come on, let him sleep," said a second voice.

 _This isn't right_ , thought Vio. _First Shadow's gone. Now Green's hurt because of me. Who's next? Red? Blue? Maybe that dream was right. They don't need me anymore. They're better off without me._

When the door shut, Vio got up, grabbed a leather bag, and filled it with his most treasured items. _I won't let anyone else get hurt!_ he thought as he shoved the charred book in the bag last.

Vio crept down the stairs and into the living room. He heard Green and Red talking in the kitchen. Just as he was about to open the front door he heard someone call out, "Vio!"

He froze with his hand on the knob. Slowly, he turned around to face his brother, but no one was there. Again, he heard his name, but this time it was muffled. Vio tiptoed over to the couch so as not to make a sound. He peeped over it and saw Blue napping.

"Green, stop!" he mumbled, "it's not working. I'll go get…" Blue turned restlessly. "Vio…"

Vio eyes softened as he placed a hand on Blue's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay," he whispered.

Blue opened his eyes, "It's…okay?"

"Yeah, it's just a dream."

"Just a…dream."

"Go back to sleep. Okay?"

"O…kay," said Blue who quickly resumed snoring.

Vio quietly made his way back to the door. He paused and looked back. _It's better this way,_ he thought turning the knob with a trembling hand.

"Sorry Guys," he whispered. "It's for the best."

After an hour Blue finally woke up from his nap and joined Green and Red in the kitchen.

"What's for lunch?" said Blue yawning.

"Lunch? It's two o'clock in the afternoon!" said Green,

"So?"

"I'll fix something," said Red hopping out of his chair. "I'm hungry too! Hey, Green, do you think Vio is going to eat anything? Should I fix him something too? He has to be hungry after sleeping so long."

"Yeah, I'll go wake him up. He needs to eat," said Green climbing the stairs. A moment later he rushed back down, "Guys, Vio's gone!"

Blue stopped cutting a piece of bread from a loaf.

"Maybe he's outside, and we just didn't see him come down," said Red frying some bacon.

"No. His satchel is gone along with some of his books…and his sword was laying on the bed with a note."

Red looked as if he was about to cry.

"What's it say?" said Blue crossing his arms.

Green cleared his throat, "It says:

 _Dear Family,_

 _I'm sorry I couldn't fix things. And I'm really sorry about the fire. I never meant any harm to come to any of you. I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I must go. It's for the best._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Vio."_

"No! He can't leave," said Red with tears streaming down his face.

"This is your fault, Blue," said Green marching towards Blue.

"My fault?!"

"If you hadn't yelled at him last night, maybe he wouldn't have left!" said Green with his brows furrowed.

"Guys," said Red timidly, "please stop. Fighting isn't going to help."

"I was angry! What did you want me to do? Pat him on the back and say thanks for "nearly" burning the place down?"

"Well, you could have tried to be a little more considerate!"

"Stop!" shouted Red slamming the skillet on the counter. Bacon flew through the air and landed in greasy puddles on the floor. "Just stop!" Tears ran down his face.

Both Green and Blue froze. Never had they seen Red so beside himself. They didn't even know he could shout that loud.

"Red," said Green calmly eyeing the skillet, "it's okay. We're just arguing."

"No," sniffled Red gripping the skillet, "it's not okay! And…and Vio hasn't been okay for a long time either."

"Red," said Blue walking over to try take the skillet from him, "we all know that Vio is still grieving for Shadow. He was closer to him than any of us so it's harder for him to…"

"No, you don't get it," said Red slamming the skillet down on the cabinet again before Blue could take it. "Vio isn't just sad! He feels guilty."

"What?" said Blue frowning as he finally managed to get the skillet from Red.

"What makes you say that?" asked Green.

"I read his journal. He thinks it's his fault that he couldn't save Shadow. He thinks he could have done something because he's the smartest one of us."

"He really thinks it's his fault Shadow's gone?" said Blue.

Green ran his hands through his hair, "Why didn't I see that?! That's why he's been reading so much. He doesn't think he's smart enough. That's why…"

"…he fell asleep reading and knocked the candle over," finished Blue. "And all this time I thought he was just trying to escape reality by burying his head in those books of his."

Red sniffled, "You're both right. So, what do we do now?"

Blue crossed his arms, "I should go after him."

"I'll go," said Green. "No offense, Blue, but patching things up is not really your skill."

"Well, you can't even hold a sword with those hands," said Blue eyeing the bandages.

They both turned to Red.

"I can't go by myself!"

"You have to, Red," said Green sympathetically. "You're the only one who seems to understand Vio right now."

"But I…I…there are bears and wolves and monsters and…"

"Please, Red. Someone needs to keep an eye on Green while his hands are still healing. And you're the only one who can convince him to come back. If it were me, I'd make him never want to come back," said Blue softly.

"I don't think that's true, Blue, but" sighed Red, "I'll go."

"I'll fix you some food for the road," said Blue picking the bacon up off the floor.

"And I'll help you pack your satchel," said Green going up the stairs, "You need to hurry, it's going to be dark soon."

"Great," mumbled Red, "I sure hope this works."


	4. Chapter 4

Vio sat by a cozy fire he had made and flipped through the burned pages of his book. He tossed the book on the ground and crossed his arms. The book however had landed a little too close to the fire and tiny sparks began to smolder on it.

"No. No. No. No!" shouted Vio has he grabbed the book and smothered it in the sand.

"What am I doing?" said Vio staring at the book. A single tear rolled down his cheek and landed on the charcoaled binding. "It's useless to even try."

Vio pulled a blanket from his satchel and laid close to the fire to sleep. Just as he began to close his eyes, he heard a scream. Vio bolted up and threw his blanket off ready for a fight. All was quiet as he looked around him. A wolf howled in the distance. _Must be catching some animal for his dinner_ , thought Vio as he curled back up to the fire. _Glad it's not me._ Another scream drifted on the wind. _That's no animal. That was human!_ Vio's hand reached for his sword.

"Ah! It's at home." Vio grabbed a stick from the fire and ran towards the voice.

"Help! Please, somebody help me!" cried the voice.

"Hold on," shouted Vio. "I'm coming."

"H-e-l-p!"

"Where are you?" said Vio stopping to listen. He looked around waiting for another cry for help. Finally, a wolf howled again. Vio ran in the direction of the sound.

 _Oh, you got to be kidding me!_ Thought Vio screeching to a halt. Three wolves were circling a large tree. A small boy dressed in a red tunic was tossing acorns down at the wolves.

"Take that!" said Red as he clung to the branches in desperation.

One of the wolves sniffed the air. It turned its attention to Vio. Another one joined him while the third continued to guard the tree.

Vio readied his fiery branch for defense. As one wolf circled, he noticed that the second one was waiting to attack. _He's probably going to move in for the kill when the other gets me down._ Vio crouched ready to defend himself as if it were a sword fight. Suddenly, a loud snap split the air followed by a thud. _Red!_ With Vio distracted, the wolf seized the moment to attack. It pounced pinning Vio to the ground. The branch fell to his side extinguishing the flame. Drool dripped on his face like rain drops. He grabbed the wolf's throat as it snapped at him.

"V-I-O-O-O!" screamed Red in desperation.

The second wolf moved in to attack. Vio kicked the first wolf in the stomach with both feet. He rolled and grabbed the branch. Bam! The second wolf cried with a yelp as the branch met its nose. The two sniffed the air and then retreated deep into the forest.

Vio ran towards the tree with his branch ready although the flame had already gone out. The third wolf stood over Red like a statue. As Vio approached, the wolf didn't move.

"Red," said Vio in a shaky voice. But there was no answer. He tried to push the wolf off his brother, but it wouldn't budge. That's when he noticed the small tip of a blade protruding out of the wolf's back. He tugged on the creature till it slid off the sword. Red lay motionless on the ground, eyes shut, sword in hand.

"Red! Red? Can you hear me, Red?" Vio listened to his chest. _Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. A heart beat! Ha! He's alive!_ Vio searched him for injuries. _No broken bones. No wounds. A swollen ankle maybe? Huh?! I can't believe it. He fainted!_

Red blinked. "Did..did we win?"

Vio sighed, "Yeah, we won. You better get going before they send reinforcements." At that moment, a wolf howled. "Can you stand?"

Red nodded and stood. As he did, he fell back to the ground.

"What's wrong?"

"It's my ankle. It hurts really bad," said Red.

"I was afraid of that. Come on. Let's get back to my camp. You'll have to stay there for the night." And with that he threw Red over his shoulder. The trek was short, but quiet. Neither one spoke till they got to the camp.

"So how did you find me?" said Vio adding more sticks to the fire. He then attempted to pull Red's boot off. By now, it had swollen twice as much.

"I followed your tracks. It' wasn't hard actually. I found several places where you stopped to pick flowers and roots. Are you making medicine?"

Vio looked up surprised, "No. I'm studying them." He raised Red's foot and placed it on his satchel. He then placed Red's satchel under his head as a pillow. "The fire should keep the wolves away for the night. In the morning, you're going home."

"What about you?"

"I…I don't know. But I'm not going home that's for sure."

"Well, it's dangerous to go alone. Take this," Red pulled Vio's sword from his belt sheath.

Vio reached out to take the sword. _But how…of course, Red was carrying two swords! One in his sheath and one in his hand. Why didn't I notice before? I must have been in an adrenaline rush._ "I-I can't. I'm not a part of the team anymore." Vio drew his hand back.

"What? Of course, you are? We need you, Vio."

"Well I don't need anyone else getting hurt. Look. You followed me out here and now see what's happened to you. If it weren't for me, you'd be safe in bed right now."

"If it weren't for you, I'd be dead right now," said Red rolling over.

Vio looked at Red who's back was turned. He started to say something, but bit his lip instead. Red's words played over and over in his head.

"Hey, Red?"

Red didn't respond. Vio got up and walked over to him. He lay snoring. Vio pulled the covers up to Red's chin. As he did, he noticed that Red kept the two swords under the covers ready to attack at a moment's notice. _After those wolves attacking, I guess I would do the same. He's probably really scared._ Vio picked up his sword and studied it. The purple jewel sparkled in the firelight. Vio looked at his reflection in the metal. As he tilted the sword, he saw half of his face, a mirror image of his brothers. But the other half of the sword was dark and empty with no reflection. _Losing Shadow was like losing a part of myself. He was my best friend. Yeah, sure he was evil, but he was good deep down inside._

Vio took his sword and laid back down by the fire. _I'll keep it close by me… just for tonight… in case the wolves come back._ And with that thought in mind, Vio drifted off into a dreamful sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_Vio sat in a field of daisies. He would pick, one study it, and then make a notation in his book. Clouds began to move in blocking the sunlight. He glanced up. Must be rain, he thought. As he continued to study the flower in his hand, it withered to a crisp. He looked at the ground where he sat. The once happy field of daisies was now a plain of dead dried plants._

 _"_ _Well, well, who do we have here?" said an exact version of himself._

 _"_ _Who are you?" asked Vio._

 _"_ _I'm you."_

 _"_ _What?" said Vio scratching his head._

 _"_ _I'm the part you don't want anyone to see. The darkness you hide. The part of you that hurts when no one is looking. The pain you hide behind a smile. The part of you that…shall I go on?" said the sinister Vio. He grabbed the book that Vio held. "Oh, my this is interesting! What other secrets have we been keeping from our brothers? Hmm?"_

 _"_ _Give it back!"_

 _"_ _This? Why is it so important to YOU?"_

 _Vio gulped, "I-it just is."_

 _"_ _Now where is that annoying brother of yours? Oh, there he is. Sleeping like an angel," said Sinister Vio. "I wonder what he would say about your book? Let's ask him. Shall we?"_

 _"_ _No!"_

 _"_ _Oh, come on," grinned Sinister Vio. "Aren't you tired of keeping secrets? All those restless nights reading. No one really appreciates you."_

 _"_ _That's not true!"_

 _"_ _Is it? Let's ask him?" Sinister Vio shook Red awake. The young boy rubbed his eyes and blinked._

 _"_ _Okay, this is simple, Red. Answer three questions correctly and you live. Answer them wrong and you die. Got it?"_

 _"_ _What?" shouted Vio, but Red nodded his head yes._

 _"_ _Do you and the others appreciate Vio's dedication and hard work?" asked Sinister Vio._

 _"_ _What's there to appreciate?" said Red, "He just reads a lot. He really doesn't do anything."_

 _"_ _Red," shouted Vio, "I'm reading to be smart, to help the team, to bring…"_

 _"_ _I believe the question belongs to Red," said Sinister Vio snobbishly._

 _"_ _Next question. Why is that book so important to Vio?"_

 _"_ _I think it's because he likes flowers, maybe?"_

 _Sinister Vio pulled his sword from his sheath. "And who here is the real Vio?"_

 _Red glanced back and forth. "I-think it's you."_

 _"_ _Really!?" said Sinister Vio grinning. "And why is that?" He stepped behind Red._

 _"_ _Because the real Vio always hides things. He won't tell you what's really going on."_

 _"_ _You are an angel, aren't you?" said Sinister Vio pulling Red into a hug. "You did understand the rules, right, Red? You had to get all three questions correct."_

 _Red nodded yes._

 _Vio screamed, "Don't you dare hurt him!"_

 _Sinister Vio held his sword to Red's neck, "Just like shadow, you can't save him. You won't save him. You're not smart enough."_

 _"_ _N-o-o-o!" shrieked Vio lunging at Sinister Vio. He grabbed him by the tunic and pointed his sword strait at his heart._

 _"_ _Can you really get rid of me? Is it so simple? I'm you remember," said Sinister Vio slyly._

 _"_ _Vio!" whimpered Red, "Please, stop!"_

 _"_ _Shut up, Red. It's for the best!"_

"Vio!"

 _"_ Vio!" said Red screaming. "Please, don't do this!"

Vio opened his eyes. Red was on his knees in front of him trembling. He had the top of Red's tunic gripped in his hand. Vio's sword was pointed straight at his heart. He looked down and felt the tip of Red's sword pressing against his own stomach.

"Please, Vio!" Tears streamed down his face in rivers as lightening flashed across the sky. 

The thunder rolled as Vio dropped his sword and let go of Red's tunic. "I…Red, I didn't mean to…It was a dream I…" He took a step back from his brother.

Red dropped his sword also. "Vio, what's wrong with you? Why did you do that? You would never hurt me. What's going on?!"

Vio stared at him as rain finally fell soaking them both. The fire hissed as it died out. Vio took another step backwards and then ran. He ran hard without looking back. Thoughts raced through his mind, _It was a dream. I was trying to protect him! I…_ He tripped and landed in the mud. "I was just trying to protect him," shouted Vio spitting out the cold dirt. And with that, he started crying. His whole body trembled with sobs. _It was just a dream._ The rain washed the tears from his face. He lay there wishing he were dead, wishing he could change the past wishing the rain would wash it all away. And somehow, perhaps from sheer exhaustion, he slipped into a deep, deep sleep.

Vio opened his eyes and saw a warm fire roaring beside him. He tried to sit up. _Was it all just a dream?_ Vio saw a man wringing out muddy water from his purple tunic. He looked down and noticed that he was covered in a warm blanket. He tried to call out to the man, but only a cough escaped his mouth. The man noticed and turned around.

"Vio! You're awake!" He walked over and knelt down beside him. "How are you feeling?"

"Father? Is that really you?" coughed Vio again.

"It's me. When you and Red didn't return home, I went out looking for you both. Blue and Green are worried sick."

"Where's Red?" asked Vio glancing around.

"I don't know. I only found you. You were laying in the mud. I thought…I thought you were dead. I found this cave to serve as a shelter. Now that your awake, I'm going back out to search for Red."

"I'm coming with you!" said Vio wrapping the blanket around him and walking over to his damp clothes.

"You need to stay here," said Father.

"No! I'm going with you. He's hurt. And he's scared."

"Stay here! You don't need…"

"No, I have to go! I'm the reason he's out there alone. I…I…" Vio started crying again. It seemed that the more he cried the easier it became. "I almost killed him! I was trying to protect him. Father, he'll never forgive me." Vio couldn't stop crying if he wanted to. Father walked over, put a hand on his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes.

"Let it out, Vio. Don't stop. You're a strong boy. You've tried to be strong for everyone else, but it's way past time you let those feeling show. I know you miss Shadow. Red told me everything about a week ago."

Vio sobbed, "I couldn't save Shadow. I wasn't smart enough! And I thought I could bring him back. But, but I can't! And I tried to leave home because I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. Now Red's out there with a sprained ankle and I dreamed I was going to hurt him and I woke up to find that I had almost killed him and…"

"Okay. Okay. Take a breath. It's okay. You're going to get through this. And if I know Red, he's already forgiven you."

Vio sniffled, "You really think so?"

"I know so. Now, get your clothes on, and let's go find your brother."


	6. Chapter 6

"Father, do you really think Red will forgive me?" asked Vio quietly as they searched through the woods.

"No doubt about it! Red's not the kind of person to hold a grudge. Why, I remember one time when…"

"Father, look! It's tracks. Just…just like mine. It has to be him. They lead back to my campsite. Hurry, Father!" Vio raced ahead of him. As he rounded a tree, he skidded to a halt. "Green? Blue? What are you doing here?"

"Blue was about to tear the house apart because he was worried about you and Red, so we came to help Father find you," said Green.

"I wasn't worried. I was… bored," said Blue crossing his arms. "Besides that lamp was about to break anyway. So…where is Red?" questioned Blue holding Red's sword in his hand as Father walked up behind Vio.

"I-I don't know," said Vio as his face clouded with guilt, "Father and I are searching for him right now."

Blue's face paled, "What do you mean, you don't know?"

"He found me and…well…it's a long story."

Blue thrust Red's sword in the ground and sat on a nearby rock, "I'm listening."

Vio nodded his head wearily, and they all found a place to sit. _I'm not going to hide anything else_ , he thought as everyone looked at him. "Alright, no more secrets. I'll tell you everything." And so he did. Father, Green, and Blue listened intently as Vio told them about how he thought he could bring Shadow back, about the dreams he'd had, and how he'd almost taken Red's life. When he finished, Blue and Green just sat there with blank expressions. Father leaned against a tree with his hand stroking his beard thoughtfully. Vio's head hung low while he twiddled his thumbs. Finally, he said, "I understand that it would be hard to have someone on the team like me. Once we find Red, I'll leave." A few moments later, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"We don't want you to leave," said Green, "We want to help. But we can't do that if you don't let us in."

Vio looked up at Green and then at Blue. He nodded a silent confirmation of acceptance although there was a painful thought written in the arch of his brows.

Green glanced back and forth at both of them. "Why don't Father and I gather some food, while you two make a fire. When we get back, I'll make some soup, and then we'll search for Red again. Who knows? Maybe he'll see the smoke from the fire, and find us."

Blue shot Green a don't-leave-me-here-with-him look.

"So…you want to gather the wood while I search for some flint?" said Vio quietly.

Blue jumped startled by Vio's voice. "Oh…uh, sure. I guess."

Vio noticed that Blue, who always spoke his mind, was being extremely quiet. Vio struck the flint he'd found against a few strands of hair he'd pulled from his own head. He then blew gently, as the sparks smoldered on Blue's gathered wood. "It's okay Blue. I really don't have to stay."

Blue looked up, "What? Why would you say that?"

"I know you don't want me around. I can tell you're uncomfortable just being here with me. I would be too if…"

"No…that's not it."

"What is it then?" said Vio blowing harder on the flames.

"Red's missing because of me," said Blue doubling his fists. "It's my fault he's out there alone!"

Vio gave him a raised eyebrow, "Come again?"

Blue held a stick in his hand and snapped it in two. "I should have come to find you. But I didn't because I'm always angry and I knew I would just say the wrong thing and start a fight and then you'd leave…for good."

"You mean…you want me to stay?"

"Well, yeah. That's why we sent Red because he's so calm and thoughtful. We just knew that if anyone could convince you to come back it would be him. But he didn't want to go. He was so scared to be alone out here by himself. He kept talking about wolves and bears, and monsters. _Sigh_. I should have gone with him. And now he could be…."

"He's not. The fact that we haven't found him means he's probably found shelter and is curled up with an armful of bunnies that he knows he can't bring home. I bet we find him before the end of the day."

Blue blinked away a tear and said, "The smoke's getting to me. I'm going to take a walk."

Vio nodded knowingly and stirred the fire with stick. _Please be okay, Red._ _We need you back. I don't know what we'd do without you._

By the time Blue had finished his walk, Green had already returned with Father and made soup.

"You're just in time," said Green as Blue sat down by the fire. Green passed each of them a bowl. Blue dug in. Father ate his solemnly. Green eyed Vio who hadn't touched any of his. "Come on, Vio. My cooking's not that bad!"

Vio gazed at the bowl, "We're wasting time. I just want to find Red. I'll eat later. Here, Blue. You can have mine."

Blue took the bowl, but Green grabbed his arm before he could take a bite.

"It's for VIO," Green said shaking his head no.

Blue passed the bowl back to Vio.

"Vio," said Father sternly, "eat your soup. I'll not have you fainting because you didn't eat."

"I'm fine. Really."

"VIO!" shouted Father.

"ALRIGHT! I'll eat the soup," Vio snatched the bowl and literally drank it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "There. Done."

All three stared at him.

"Well, let's go find Red," said Vio putting his bowl down, "What are we waiting for?"

"You're going to get sick eating like that," said Father eyeing Vio.

Vio blinked a few times then rubbed his eyes.

"What's wrong?" asked Green.

"Suddenly, everything's blurry," said Vio blinking. "Something's not right. I feel weird."

"Maybe you should sit down," said Father.

"Green, what did you put in that soup?" said Vio jokingly. He glanced at each of their faces. "Green?" he said seriously, "WHAT did you put in that soup?!"

"Vio, just relax," said Green, "Don't fight it…"

"You're trying to poison me!" cried Vio, "I-I told you I would just leave! You…you…" and with that Vio collapsed. Blue caught him before he hit the ground.

"A-N-N-N-D…he's out," said Blue laying him down gently. "Would someone tell me what's going on?"

"He hasn't been thinking clearly," said Father sighing heavily, "and you know he won't rest till Red's safe. This way he has no choice, but to rest. When he comes to, he can continue searching for Red with Green. Until then…I'm not losing anymore sons. Blue, you come with me."

"Okay, hold on a second," said Blue rummaging through his satchel. He pulled out a rope and tied Vio's hands, "If he starts dreaming those weird dreams again…"

"I'll be fine," said Green nodding.

Blue looked at Vio and thought, _I'm so glad I'm not the one who has to explain things when you wake up._ He turned and followed Father into the woods.

Green covered Vio with a blanket, "Gee, I hope Dad's right about making you rest. _Sigh_. I promise we'll search for Red when you wake up. Sweet dreams, Vio."


	7. Chapter 7

_"_ _Vio…" echoed a voice on the wind, "Vio, come find me…"_

 _"_ _Who's there? Red? Is that you? Where are you?" shouted Vio spinning around. He scanned the forest, but everywhere he looked was trees. "Red, can you hear me?"_

 _"_ _Come find me, Vio…"_

 _"_ _This isn't funny, Red! I'm not playing one of your silly hide-and-seek games. Now come out!"_

 _"_ _Vio…"_

 _Vio froze as a set of yellow eyes stared at him from the shadows. The young knight reached for his sword. A low snarling growl rumbled in the creature's throat._

 _"_ _I'm warning you…Stay back," said Vio pointing his sword as a wolf stepped out of the shadows._

 _"_ _You seek the slayer?" it snarled._

 _"_ _I seek my brother," said Vio keeping a strong stance although he was trembling inside. "Do you know where I can find him?"_

 _"_ _Why should I help you? The two of you will just kill more of us." Drool fell from its fangs as if it were considering Vio for it's next meal._

 _"_ _He…he may kill more of you if we stay. Help me find him and we will leave."_

 _"_ _You speak the truth," said the wolf with a glint in his eye. "Fine. Follow me. But then you leave this place," said the wolf as it shot into the woods with lightning speed._

 _"_ _Hey, wait up!" shouted Vio as branches slapped at his face. He slid to a stop right in front of the wolf. Vio looked around. "Where is he?"_

 _"_ _He-he-hee, and I thought you were the smart one," said the wolf skittering back into the trees._

 _Vio stood at the edge of a pond. His ears focused on every little sound. Is this an ambush? he thought._

 _Glancing down, he noticed his reflection on the moonlit surface of the waters. His reflection stared back at him only it wore a red tunic._

 _"_ _Red!" He bent down to study the water. The reflection did the same. He held one hand up. So did his reflection. He spun around and froze. And once more his reflection did also._

 _"_ _I-I don't get it! Red, how do I get you out of there?" Vio gently touched the water with his finger. He could feel the reflection's touch too! The purple clad boy stuck his arm in the water hoping to pull Red out. As he did, the reflection clasped his arm and pulled him beneath the pond's murky waters._

 _Vio blinked and glanced around. Red wasn't anywhere. Looking up towards the surface, he saw him. Red was standing at the edge of the pond looking down at him. Vio kicked upwards. He reached out, but felt an invisible force blocking him. It was like the water's surface had turned to glass. He could see through it, but he couldn't penetrate it. Vio pounded the surface with his fists. Red merely watched with a blank expression on his face. Without a word, he turned walked out of sight._

 _"_ _RED!" shouted Vio with his last breath, "Don't leave me!"_

"RED!" gasped Vio.

"Vio," said Green shaking him by the shoulders, "it's okay! It's just a dream. Wake up!

Vio lay still for a moment taking in deep breaths. His wits slowly came to him. His face and the top part of his tunic was soaking wet. Worry was written in Green's eyes as he still held Vio's shoulders.

"Vio? You okay?"

"I-I think so. I…I was drowning, and Red was there, but he wouldn't do anything! He just stood there!"

"You stopped breathing," said Green. "It seemed like you were holding your breath. So, I dumped a cup of water on you."

Vio tried to sit up, but noticed his hands were tied. "What's this?"

"Oh, uh, Blue did that in case you had one of those weird dreams again."

"Good thinking," said Vio still a little breathless. "Hey, wait a minute. YOU poisoned me with your soup!"

"What?! No!" said Green holding up his hands in defense. "I would never poison you."

"So you say! Maybe the poison just didn't kill me like you wanted it to!" shouted Vio.

"I didn't poison you," Father thought it would be a good idea to 'make' you rest. So, I slipped some potion into your soup. No harm done. And now you're fully recovered. You're WELCOME!"

"Just see if I ever eat anything you cook anymore!" said Vio with his jaw clenched.

"Vio, please calm down. You're being ridiculous. You're…you're acting like Blue."

"Calm down! Red is out there in the woods alone probably crying his eyes out and my whole family wants me to take a nap! How is that ridiculous?"

Green crossed his arms and legs as he plopped himself on the ground. "We're trying to help you. And you fainting from exhaustion isn't going to help Red."

"Untie me," said Vio with his eyes flaming.

"No. Not until you get a grip and calm down."

Vio sneered and looked away. Several moments passed. Green studied him like a hawk not even daring to blink. Finally, Vio's shoulders slumped, and he relaxed his jaw. He glanced at Green.

"Okay, I've cooled off. Now will you untie me?"

Green tilted his head in thought still unconvinced.

"Will you untie me…PLEASE?" said Vio rolling his eyes.

Green walked over to Vio and started fiddling with the knots. "Father and Blue should be back soon. We'll start our search when they return."

Vio rubbed his wrists, "Whatever you say, Green."

Green squinted at Vio suspiciously.

"Well, what should we do in the mean time?" asked Vio standing up.

Green glanced at his satchel and said, "I guess we could bottle some of this soup for Red. I know he'll be hungry when we…"

 _Whack!_ Green fell to his knees and then slumped to the side.

Vio stood above him holding a large branch that didn't quite make it into the fire. "I'm sorry Green, I can't wait for Father and Blue to return. Red could be in danger, and I don't need you holding me back."

 _Now if I switch clothes with him, maybe Red won't be scared when he see's me. That will give me a chance to see if he'll really forgive me. Yeah…He would trust Green before me after last night._

Vio quickly swapped out Green's clothes with his.

"I know you're going to hate me when you wake up, but I have to do this," said Vio straightening the wrinkles in his green clothes. Green lay unconscious fully clothed in Vio's purple tunic. Vio grabbed the rope that Blue had used on him to tie Green's hands.

"This should buy me a little time, in case you wake up soon. I can't let you slow me down. I promise I'll find him and bring him back," said Vio making sure Green was warm and comfortable.

 _I'm sorry, Green,_ he thought as he took off into the forest.


	8. Chapter 8

"Oh, my head," mumbled Green regaining his consciousness.

"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty," said Blue. "I thought you were never going to wake up. That must have been some powerful stuff Green put in that soup."

"What?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right. No one's told you because you've been asleep. Okay, so Father and Green thought that you needed to rest, so Green put some kind of potion or something in your soup. Then you ate it. Then you passed out after thinking that we poisoned you. But we didn't. So, that's that."

"Blue, you're not making any sense. Where's Vio?"

"You're kidding right?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" said Green.

"You're Vio."

Green just stared at him in disbelief. "Blue, I'M GREEN! Now where's Vio?"

Blue poked at the fire with a stick and watched his brother out the corner of his eye. "Father's right. You really aren't thinking straight."

"Blue, please, just listen," said Green holding his hands up in desperation. "Wait…What the heck? Why am I tied up?" As studied the rope, he also noticed that he was wearing a purple tunic.

"Yeah, I did that in case you had one of your crazy dreams…which you might be having right now."

"No. No," said Green panicking, "Vio must have knocked me out when I wasn't looking. He had to have switched our clothes. Please, Blue. I'm GREEN! You need to untie me!"

"That's exactly what Vio would say to try to get me to untie him which means you are him."

"Wait come check the back of my head. He hit me with something hard. It probably left a mark or a bump. It'll prove I'm telling the truth."

Blue walked over and examined his head. "Wow! That is a nasty knot you have there!"

"Now do you believe me?"

"No."

"What?!" said Green.

"You probably had a nightmare, and Green was probably protecting himself, so I'm not untying you till he gets back."

"I-I can't believe this! Blue, it's me—Green—your brother! Oh, I know! You packed Red his teddy bear right before he left, so he wouldn't feel lonely. That proves it. No one else would know that!"

Blue stopped poking the fire and eyed Green, "True, but Red could have told you that when he found you in the woods."

"This is impossible! Of all the Links, Blue, I get stuck with you."

"What can I say?" said Blue smiling, "I'm the popular one."

"Where's Father? He'll believe me."

"He thought it was odd that Green left you alone. So, he's scouting around for him."

"Blue, listen carefully. I AM GREEN. VIO SWITCHED MY CLOTHES."

"Give it a rest, will you?" said Blue stretching.

"Wait. I got it! My hands, remember! I burned them putting out the fire."

"Fine," huffed Blue, "I'll take a look at your hands." He gently unwrapped the bandages. "They look good to me."

Green gazed at his hands in disbelief, "They're healed up?! Oh, great. It's because of the medicine Red put on them! He said it would make them heal faster."

"Oh, you're awake," said Father returning up to the campsite.

"Father! It's me Green. Vio switched my clothes. H-he hit me on the head and tied me up. Tell Blue he needs to untie me. Please, Father, Vio and Red could both be in danger!"

Father glanced at Blue. "How long has he been like this?"

"What? You don't believe me, do you?" said Green shocked.

"He's been like this since he came to," said Blue worried. "Dad, he really thinks he's Green. I saw a bump on his head. You think it knocked him loopy?"

"Just watch him and try to keep him calm," whispered Father, "If he thinks he's Green, just…patronize him. I'm going back out to look for them."

"Will do," said Blue as Father went back out to search.

"I can't believe it! My own Father doesn't even believe me," said Green exasperated.

"So…'Green'…are you hungry?"

As Blue spooned a bowl of soup, Green thought to himself, _You're going to pay for this one, Vio!_


	9. Chapter 9

"Red! R-e-d! It's safe to come out, Red," called Vio with his hands cupped around his mouth. _Where can he be? He couldn't have gone far on that ankle of his unless…No! I won't think it! I'll find him! I promised Green I'd bring him back._ Vio continued searching although the nagging thought of Red being drug away by some vicious animal gnawed at his brain.

A twig snapped in the bushes. Vio froze. "Red? Is that you?"

No answer. Vio backed up prepared to face any foe that presented itself. A small squirrel shot out of the bush and scrambled past him. Surprised, Vio fell backwards. "Ha! Just a squirrel! Too bad Red wasn't here. He'd be trying to catch it." As Vio dusted himself off, he noticed some large prints in the dirt. _They're too big to be a wolf. They must be bear prints._ An image flashed through his mind of Red being drug through the forest by a bear. _No! I won't even think it._

Vio followed the tracks until he found a familiar red hat. _Oh, no! Hold on Red. I'm coming!_ Vio followed the tracks deeper into the forest. His heart sank with his next discovery—blood. Whoever left it behind was losing it quickly. _This can't be real!_

"Red! Red!" shouted Vio desperately. "I'm here, Red. Where are you?" He listened, but there was still no answer. Vio resumed following the tracks. With each step, the blood pools grew larger. _Is this why we can't find you? Are you even alive. Please, Red. Please be okay!_ Distracted with the thought of finding Red mauled, Vio ran right into the backside of the giant grizzly he'd been tracking. Its hair was thick with mud, and it smelled like fresh dirt and mildew. _It must be ten times my size!_ The bear turned and sniffed him. A growl rumbled in its throat as it rose up on its haunches. _I'm going to die!_ realized Vio as he pointed his sword at it. _Is this what it was like when Red killed the wolf? Is this what he felt like?_ Vio closed his eyes and waited for the beast's fatal blow.

"STOP!" shouted a voice from the trees. "Don't hurt him!"

The bear stepped back and landed on all fours. It grumbled and turned towards the tree where the voice came from. Vio also looked up and saw a small red clad boy in the branches.

"Red! You're alive!"

"Yep."

"But I thought the bear got you. There was blood all over the tracks!"

"Oh, no! The baby's foot must be bleeding again."

"Baby?"

"Yeah, hold on. I'm getting our supper for tonight. I'll explain when I come down."

"What could you possibly be getting for supper in a pine tree? Oh, no! Red! Don't…"

But it was too late. A swarm of bees flew from the hive once Red twisted their home off the branches. A few poked him in the face with their jagged stingers. Red lost his balance trying to swat them away.

 _Oh, no! He's going to fall,_ thought Vio. "Hold on. I'll catch you!"

The small boy hit a few branches before plummeting to the ground.

Pow!

"Ow! Thanks," said Red rubbing his backside.

"Don't mention it," grumbled Vio hoarsely. "Can you get off me, please?"

By now the angry mob had realized that their invader was no longer in the tree, so they zoomed to the ground. Soon, they were sticking their tiny black needles into both Links.

"Make them stop!" cried Red curling up in a ball while the grizzly moaned and swatted at the bees.

"This way!" yelled Vio grabbing Red's arm half carrying him, half dragging him. "I think there's some water over there." The bees pursued them with blitzing furry as they neared the pond. Both Links dove into the cold water and desperately waited for the bees to leave. Their adversary buzzed the waters hoping one would surface. Finally, they gave up and returned to their broken hive.

Below the waters Red motioned to Vio that he couldn't hold his breath any more. Vio gave him a thumbs up and pointed to the surface. Red swam up and pulled himself out onto dry land. Vio followed him. However, just before reaching the surface, his foot caught on something. He pulled at it, but it was no use. He looked up and saw Red standing above him waiting for him to surface. _No!_ thought Vio. _This is like my dream. This can't be happening._ Vio watched Red turn and leave.

"Red!" shouted Vio with his last breath, "Don't leave me!"

The water burned his nostrils like fire as it flowed in. He felt a swoosh of water push him forward, and something yanked his foot. He felt a hand clasp his arm. The last thing he saw was a reflection of his own face.

 _Red?_


	10. Chapter 10

Vio coughed and opened his eyes. Red's blurred figure hovered over him.

"I-I'm alive?" said Vio still coughing, "But I saw you turn and leave. I thought…"

"I'd let you die? No, Silly! Green, I would never let you drown," said Red helping him sit up. "So…what are you doing here? Have you seen Vio? I lost him in the woods. Is Blue with you?"

"What? Gr…? Oh, yeah. I…uh…Blue's back at the camp, and uh Vio is too."

"Oh, good!" said Red falling backwards onto the lush ground. "I was really afraid something bad happened to him. Poor Vio, I couldn't find him anywhere. Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Green…I mean that 'I' gave him something to help him rest, and he felt better when he woke up. But he was really worried about you. He was afraid that you were…"

"It's okay, Green. I'm fine. Want to meet my new friends?" Red walked over to the huge grizzly and rubbed its fur. "This is Mama Bear. She helped me save you. There was an octorok under the water. It had a good grip on your leg, but it was no match for Mama Bear." Red turned towards the bushes and made a strange noise. Two small bear cubs came rushing out and pounced on him. "And this is Cupcake and Buttercup!"

Vio walked up to pet them. "Red, I thought you were afraid of bears."

"Oh, I was until I met Buttercup. When Vio took off into the woods last night, I tried to follow him, but I got lost. Then I found this little guy. His foot was stuck in a trap. So, I freed him. That's when Mama Bear showed up. I think she knows I saved her cub because she didn't eat me. She also must have known I was hurt and couldn't walk very far because she let me ride her. We've been wandering all over the woods looking for food and, of course, Vio. Wow, Green, I'm glad you're here! When can we see Vio? Is the camp very far?"

"You mean, you want to see him?"

"Well, yeah. Hey, do you think he's going to keep having those weird dreams?"

"I…I don't know. I hope not."

"I hope not either. They're pretty scary."

"Hey, Red?"

"Yeah, Green?"

"Do you think you'll forgive Vio for almost…for almost…"

"Killing me with the sword?" said Red with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah. And for being a jerk."

Red sat and pondered the question. "Well, it was scary last night, but I know Vio would never hurt me on purpose. He's just kind of lost right now…on the inside. Do you think that maybe we can still help him… somehow?"

A tear rolled down Vio's cheek. "Yeah, I think so."

"Come on let's get back to camp," said Red climbing on top of Mama Bear. "I want to see Vio and let him know I'm okay. Do you think he can help Buttercup's foot?"

 _Camp. Oh, boy!_ thought Vio. _Should I tell Red that I'm Vio yet? No. He may get confused. Better wait till we get back to camp. That way I only_

 _have to explain myself once. I wonder if Green's still tied up. Probably not. I bet h_ _e's searching the forest right now with Blue._


	11. Chapter 11

"Let go of me!" shouted Blue struggling to free himself from Green's full nelson.

"You should have untied me, Blue," said Green.

"Vio, I mean Green, this isn't helping either of us find Red. Come on, isn't that why we came out here—to help?"

"I'll let go if you untie me."

"How am I supposed to untie you, if you won't let me go?!"

"Quiet," said Green seriously. "Do you hear something?"

"How am I supposed to answer that if you just told me to be quiet?"

"Shhh. It sounds like an animal." Green instantly released Blue as the sound grew closer.

"Whatever it is, it's big," said Blue picking himself up off the ground.

Green gulped, "Do you think it got Red and Vio, and it's now coming for us?"

"Not on my watch!" said Blue standing in front of Green with his sword drawn.

"Quick, untie me! I can fight!"

Blue eyed him worriedly.

"Blue! Come on! It's too big to take down alone."

As Green finished speaking, a huge grizzly stepped out of the woods with a small boy riding on top of it.

"Is that Red," asked Green in shock, "riding a bear?"

"Like a boss!" said Blue running up to them.

Blue caught Red as he slid down off Mama Bear's neck. "We were worried sick about you! Are you okay?" Realizing that he was getting emotional, Blue instantly dropped Red on the ground. "Not that I care or anything. It's just that…well…"

"I'm glad to see you too, Blue," said Red dusting himself off. He turned to give Green a hug, "Vio! You're okay! And you're tied up? What's going on?"

"Red," said Green cautiously not wanting to confuse him, "are you alone?"

"What? No. Green is right behind me. Well, I thought he was."

Vio slowly stepped out from behind the shadow of a tree and walked up to Green. The two stared at each other in silence. Vio held his head in shame while anger painted itself on Green's face.

"What's happening?" whispered Red as Blue quietly pulled the red clad boy behind him for protection.

Vio began cutting Green's ropes. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to…"

As soon as the ropes were off, Green grabbed Vio by the tunic and back him up against a tree. He pulled his fist back for a punch.

"Vio, what are you doing?" said Red crying.

"Stay out of it, Red," cautioned Blue making sure that he stayed behind him.

Vio closed his eyes and waited. A few moments passed. Finally, Vio peeked at Green who was still holding back his fist. "What are you waiting for?" asked Vio. "Go ahead and get it over with."

Green released his punch, but surprisingly it missed Vio. The bark shattered and flew off the tree. Vio winced as a piece scraped his cheek. With his fist still embedded in the tree, Green's breathing finally slowed, and his features seemed to relax. He let go of Vio and stepped back.

"What was that all about?" said Blue eyeing them. Red just started crying. Vio stayed silent.

Green relaxed his fist and said, "I can't blame you for what you did. I…I might would have done the same thing. I'm sorry. I lost my temper." He took another step back to give Vio some space. "Will you forgive me?"

"Me forgive you?" said Vio with wide eyes. "No, I should be the one asking you—all of you—for forgiveness." Vio slumped against the tree and sat down. "I'm sorry. I've been such a jerk. I thought I could handle all of this on my own. I didn't want anyone's help because I didn't want you all to feel what I felt. I…"

Vio paused as Green hugged him and said, "You know we'll be there for you—even if you push us away."

Red joined the hug in tears, "I still don't understand, but I want a hug too!"

Vio's eyes softened, and he sniffled a bit.

Although Blue's arms were crossed, he wore a grin on his face. "Oh, what the heck!" he said reaching over to ruffle Vio's locks. "Guess you can count on me to be a shoulder to cry on if you need it. But hugging is out of the question. OOF!" said Blue as Green punched him in the stomach.

"Thanks guys. That really means a lot," said Vio wiping his snotty nose on the back of his sleeve. "Oh, sorry, Green. Do you want to change back into your own clothes?"

"Uh, I'll let you keep them till we get back home. Besides, you look pretty good in green."

"Well," sniffled Vio, "everyone knows the real 'Link' wears green."

Red, Green, and Vio laughed while Blue pouted.

"It's not fair!" said Blue, "I never get to where green."

"Boys! Don't move," shouted Father entering the camp with a bow and arrow aimed at Mama Bear.

"No!" shouted Red limping up to Mama Bear. "Please, don't hurt her, Dad. Mama Bear is my friend. She protected me in the woods."

"Friend?" said Father lowering his bow with a sad relief. "Red, why couldn't you have just come back with a bunny."

Red shuffled over to Buttercup. "Dad, we have to help him. His foot is hurt."

Father closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "We'll try to help him, but he's staying here in the forest. We aren't taking him home with us."

"But, Dad, it…"

"R-E-D," said Father sternly.

"Okay," huffed Red as both Green and Vio walked over to inspect the cub's foot. They cleaned it, doctored it with medicine, and wrapped a bandage around it."

"Good as new," said Red petting Buttercup behind the ear as if he were a dog.

"Your turn, Red," said Green as he inspected Red's ankle. "You need to stay off that foot as much as possible. Maybe we can find you something to use as a crutch. Good grief, were you attacked by bees out there? You have stinger's all over you!"

"Vio," said Father crouching beside the purple clad boy.

"Yes, Father?" said Vio standing behind him (still in green).

Father glanced back and forth at the two.

"It's okay, Dad," said Red. "I didn't understand it either. Okay, so Vio came looking for me dressed as Green. I still don't know why though. Green is dressed in Vio's clothes. Green seemed pretty mad because I think Vio stole them. But, anyway, everybody's okay now after the fight. But Green told Vio to keep his clothes till we get home because…"

"Red…I got it," said Father rubbing his eyes. "Boys, come here around the fire. I want to talk to you."

They gathered around and waited for Father to speak.

"Vio, I know how you feel. When your mother died, I didn't know if I could go on. I was alone raising a child that needed constant attention. Having Link in my life actually kept me going. And now I have four Links. I'm pretty lucky." They all smiled at this as Father continued. "I never wanted you to experience the pain I felt of losing your mother. So, I decided it would be best not to talk about her. In doing that, I never really showed you how to cope with losing someone close. I'm sorry."

"What was she like?" asked Red.

"She was beautiful. Her hair was as blonde as yours. And she loved taking care of animals,"

"Like me?!" shouted Red.

"Yes, like you. And she often found a way to help people who were hurting. She was brave and would stand up to anyone being bullied."

"Like me," said Green with a soft grin.

Father nodded. "But I learned never to make her angry. I remember our first fight. Her temper got the best of her and she almost broke the lamp! We still have it. It's the one with a giant crack in it. I can't believe it held together after all these years."

Blue's eyes grew large as his face paled a little.

Father sat silent for a moment. "One thing that always stood out about your mom was her silence. I guess we had that in common. I noticed that she wouldn't talk about the really deep things that troubled her. She was always afraid that it would be too much of a burden if she told anyone. So, I made her a diary—with a lock. And that's where she kept her deepest thoughts."

Father looked at Vio as the tears welled up in his son's eyes. "I promise I didn't read your journal, Vio."

"Yeah, that was me," sighed Red, "I knew you were hurting and wouldn't talk about it. So, I read it. Then I read it to Dad."

"And after Red told me what was in your journal, I decided we all needed to do something. So, in the morning, I'm taking you some place special that I've never showed you before.

"Where?" said Red curious.

"Get some sleep. You'll find out in the morning."


	12. Chapter 12

Vio woke to the sound of swords clanging. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Blue and Green in a friendly sparing match. He stretched, yawned, and closed his eyes again. As he rolled over and pulled his blanket tighter around his neck, he felt someone watching him. He opened his eyes to see the small red clad boy staring back at him.

"Good morning!" beamed Red.

Vio groaned and pulled the covers over his head.

"How'd you sleep?" said Red.

Vio knew it was useless to try and avoid him. "Fine, I guess," he said sitting up.

"That's great! So, no weird dreams?"

Vio paused and thought for a moment. "You know. I don't even remember having one single dream last night."

"Dad said you may still have nightmares from time to time. He also said he had bad dreams when mom died too."

"Red, how long have you been awake?" asked Vio noticing his brother's high energy level.

"About three hours. Why?"

"What time is it?"

"Ten. Maybe. It might be eleven."

"What! I slept the whole morning?"

"Relax, Vio. Dad said to let you sleep. But now that you're awake, let's eat. Come on. Dad cooked fish. He said after we ate, we'd visit that place." Red grabbed Vio's hand and pulled him to a standing position. "Come on!"

"Alright already. I'm coming."

Soon after eating, everyone followed Father to the special place he had promised.

"Hey, what's that smell?" asked Red glancing around. "It smells familiar."

"It's apple trees," said Vio. "We're in an orchard."

"Did mom like apples?" asked Green.

"Yes, she did," answered Father. "They were her favorite fruit. She used to make the best apple pie in all of Hyrule. Once she even won a blue ribbon for it."

"That's awesome," said Blue biting into an apple he'd picked off a branch. "You know I bet I could make a blue-ribbon pie."

"You?!" said Green sneering. "You burn everything!"

"I only do that, so I don't have to cook. No one wants a cook that burns everything. You seriously haven't figured that out yet?"

"You know, I bet he could even burn water," said Vio slyly to Green.

"What! I can cook! I can even cook better than Green." said Blue doubling his fists.

"I won't believe it till I eat it!" said Green holding his head high.

"Fine! I'll prove it!" shouted Blue, "Just wait. When we get home, I'll make the best pie you've ever tasted in your life!"

"I guess we know who's doing all the cooking next week!" chuckled Vio.

Blue paused, "Say what?"

Green grinned, "It's good to hear you laugh, Vio. I've missed it."

"Yeah, me, too," said Red piping in.

"We're here, "said Father stopping in front of some rose bushes. "Boys, I'm sorry I haven't shared this with you before now."

"Where are we?" asked red.

"Behind this row of bushes is your mother's grave. This orchard was special to her. She would play here all the time when she was a kid. There's a special apple tree in the center of these bushes. I buried her under the it. That very tree was her favorite one in the whole orchard. She would tell me that the sweetest apples in the world grew on it. It's even where we had our first kiss," sniffled Father. Red took his hand and held it tight. "The farmer who owns this land placed these thorny bushes here so no one would disturb her resting place."

The boys took their hats off and followed Father past the bushes. And just as Father had said, one lone apple tree stood in the center circle of the bushes. The grave beneath the tree had a rain-cloud grey headstone that read:

 **Here lies a loving mother who cared for those around her more than herself.**

"I can't read her name," said Red quietly.

"Yes, this stone has seen some rough times through the years. Bad weather and all. Not everything lasts, Son. Remember that. But her memory will live on in our hearts."

Green put his arm around Blue who was silently crying.

"Is there anything you want to say?" said Father looking at each one.

Red walked up to her grave first. "I'm sorry you had to leave us so soon. I really wanted to know you better." A few tears fell on his hat as he twisted it in his hands. "I'm glad you like animals. I promise to take good care of all the animals I meet from now on."

Green stepped up next. "You sound so amazing. I want to be like you and protect people. I guess that's all I got to say. And I promise to take care of my brothers like you would."

Blue stepped up bawling. "I'm sorry, I broke your lamp! And I promise to stop burning everyone's food on purpose! I want to be a great cook like you some day!" Green patted Blue on the back as he continued to sob.

Vio finally stepped up. "So I, uh…Father," he gulped, "I'm not sure I can do this."

"It's okay," said Father. "Everyone expresses themselves differently. You don't have to say a word."

"What's this?" said Red who had walked over to a large cloth on the ground.

Father walked over by Red and pulled the cloth off. It was another headstone, and it read:

 **Shadow**

 **Born Of Night, A True Hero Of The Light**

"Whoa!" said Red clearly impressed.

"Will you help me set it up?" asked Father.

Each of them grabbed a side of the stone and quickly carried it over to set it beside their mother's grave.

"After Red talked to me about Vio's journal," said Father, "I figured Shadow needed a resting place too. Vio, you can come here and visit whenever you want to. All of you can. I didn't know him much, so I wasn't sure what to have inscribed…"

"It's perfect," whispered Vio with a tear running down his face.

"He would love it," said Green.

Red pulled his teddy bear from his satchel and placed it against the grave. "There," he said, "Now he won't be lonely."

Blue walked up and started digging behind the stone. Everyone watched him with curiosity, but no one dared to speak to him. Blue placed the core of the apple he had been eating in the hole and covered it up. "Now it will grow a tree like this one, and it will be like the big tree watching over the little tree. Kind of like Mom watching over Shadow. You know?"

Everyone shook their heads in agreement.

Green rumbled around in his satchel and pulled out a boomerang. He placed it against the stone. "Just in case it gets boring. It's one of my favorite toys."

"Boys," said Father. "let's go home."

"Wait," said Vio holding his arms. "I…I…uh…"

"Red, Blue, Green," said Father understanding, "come with me. Take all the time you need, Vio. We won't be too far away."

"Thanks."

As the others left the bushed circle, Vio dug through his bag and pulled out his burned book. He held it close to him as he sat by the stone. "I…I don't really know how to do this," whispered Vio. "It feels weird. I'm not really good about talking about my feelings anyway. I wanted to bring you back. But I know that's impossible. I thought it was my fault you died. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I couldn't save you. I want you to be here with us so bad. Why does it have to be like this? It's not fair! I need you! I miss you. I want you back. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You…You were my best friend. You understood me. I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you. It hurts so bad. Please, forgive me for not being able to save you." Vio dried his eyes and placed the charcoaled book against the stone. "You'll always be a part of our family."

Vio stepped out of the bushes and joined the others.

"You okay?" said Green.

"I…I will be," said Vio.

"Remember, you can all visit any time you need to," said Father. "I already let the farmer of this orchard know that he may see four boys hanging around the place. And I promised him that you'd mean no trouble to him or his orchard. So, you have his permission to come and go as you please."

"Thanks," said Vio giving Father a quick hug.

"We promise we'll be good," said Green.

"Also," said Father, "the farmer said you can eat any of the apples you like when you visit."

"Nice," said Blue dusting off another apple.

"Dad! Look!" shouted Red, "It's Mama Bear and Cupcake and Buttercup. They must have followed us!"

Father rubbed his forehead. "Oh, No, Red…"

"They're going to follow us home!"

"Red, they have to stay in the wild! We aren't taking them home."

"They can stay in the stables!" said Red hobbling towards them.

"No…Red..."

As Red and Father continued to argue, Vio felt something whack him in the head. As he turned to scold his brother, he heard chuckling. "Stop it, Blue!"

"Stop what?" said Blue petting Mama Bear. Green was steadying Red as he was trying to climb onto of his new pet while Father rubbed his temples.

Vio looked around, "Then who…?" He glanced down. Green's boomerang lay at his feet. _Huh, that's funny,_ thought Vio rubbing the back of his head. He went back through the bushes and laid it by the stone. _Maybe the wind blew it?_

"Vio, you coming?" shouted Green.

"Yeah, I just thought…Well, I heard…never mind. Wait up. I'm coming!"

 **In Loving Memory of**

 **Christopher C.**

 **1986-2009**

 **You will always be in our hearts.**


End file.
